Everything was up at Google last year -- revenue, profits, share price, paid search clicks, hiring -- and so, too, was employee love; the search giant climbed three slots in our
ranking to reclaim the top spot.

The reason? Employees rave about their mission, the culture, and the famous perks of the Plex: bocce courts, a bowling alley, eyebrow shaping (for a fee) in the New York office.
Then there's the food: some 25 cafés companywide, all gratis.

Wrote one Googler: "Employees are never more than 150 feet away from a well-stocked pantry."

Notes:
N.A.: Not available. U.S. employees includes part-timers as of time of survey. Job growth, new jobs, and voluntary turnover are full-time only. Revenues are for 2010 or
latest fiscal year. All data are from July 2011 and based on U.S. employees.
* Average annual pay: yearly pay rate plus additional cash compensation for the largest classification of full-time salaried and hourly employees.
** Google's employee headcount figures are estimates. For job openings, more than one person could potentially fill each position.

To pick the 100 Best Companies to Work For, Fortune partners with the Great Place to Work Institute to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America; 280 firms
participated in this year's survey. More